November 8, 2013

Using the local library

Library resources

These days, most people now have netbooks, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The library has kept up with the tech trends and offers digital content to patrons with a valid library card. In addition to free wi-fi, the library offers movies, eBooks, audiobooks and magazines for checkout. Want to read your favorite magazine? There's Zinio. Want to see a old favorite 80s movie again or see ? Look for it in Hoopla. Have a long commute and don't like listening to the radio? Hoopla also lets you check out audiobooks, including many popular titles, to listen to. Hoopla also has music. In addition to all of the other movie and TV titles, Hoopla also has movie titles in Spanish, holiday movies, fitness movies and home-schooling movies.

Also, depending on the library, there are a number of DVDs at the ready on a great variety of topics. These include exercise DVDs, which I find nice to use during the winter to mix up workouts when it's too cold to be outside and I'm tired of the same routine. There are also a large number of DVDs on educational topics at my library.

Want to learn a foreign language, the library can help you with that, too.

Don't forget that you can request and reserve an item to be sent to your library for pickup from the library system. You do have to have a library card to do this.

If I want to use wi-fi, I often head to the library. I used to have wi-fi at home, but the company kept raising the price even though I was supposed to have a set rate for a year, so I told them goodbye. (I'm already paying tax money toward the library, so I feel like I might as well get my money's worth.) It's also great for printing out emails, coupons and directions. I find that it's much easier to just go to the library to print something out rather than having to buy expensive printer ink for intermittent use for the fancy printer my sister gave me. At my library it's 10 cents per black and white page or 25 cents for a color page.

Also, the library offers many exhibits during the year. A Lego-related exhibit is on display at the Main CML library and the Huntington Holiday Train will be rolling out to be on display in a couple of weeks for the holidays.

To learn more about library services, just Google your local library and see "what's new" on their website.